Application Platform News
Our latest news and commentary on applications, covering closed development platforms, SaaS vendors and related online services.
Latvia to launch Google-Apple friendly coronavirus contact tracing app
The small Baltic nation of Latvia aims to become one of the first countries to launch a smartphone app using a new toolkit created by US technology giants Apple and Google to help ...
Estonia starts testing a digital immunity passport for the workplace
Estonia has started to test one of the world’s first digital immunity passports, created by a team including founders of global tech start-ups Transferwise and Bolt, seeking ...
How South Korea turned an urban planning system into a virus tracking database
When a man in Seoul tested positive for the new coronavirus in May, South Korean authorities were able to confirm his wide-ranging movements in and outside the city in minutes, inc...
Apple-Google contact tracing app draws interest in 23 countries, some hedge bets
Authorities in 23 countries across five continents have sought access to contact tracing technology from Apple and Google, the companies announced as they released the initial vers...
Microsoft to adapt its cloud software for healthcare industry
Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday it plans to roll out a version of its cloud-based software that will be modified to suit the needs of healthcare organisations.
White House panel: Build new tech infrastructure for future jobs
A White House advisory panel will call for the government and private industry to work together to build new technological infrastructure to support future jobs and provide the und...
New Zealand to roll out ‘digital diary’ app to help people track movements
New Zealand will launch a contact-tracing app on Wednesday to help people track their movements as the country eases one of the world’s most rigid lockdowns designed to slow ...
SoftBank’s Vision Fund tumbles to $18 billion loss in ‘valley of coronavirus’
Japan’s SoftBank reported a stunning $18 billion loss at its giant Vision Fund, pushing Masayoshi Son’s conglomerate to a record loss and highlighting the deepening cri...
SoftBank proposes three new board members as Alibaba’s Jack Ma resigns
SoftBank Group Corp have stated that Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma will resign from its board, in the latest departure by a high-profile ally of CEO Masayoshi Son.
Wix.com sees strong second-quarter as businesses rush online
Wix.com, which helps small businesses build and operate websites, expects a strong second quarter as companies rush online amid lockdowns to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, it has...
India follows China’s lead to widen use of coronavirus tracing app
India is aggressively pushing a state-backed contact tracing app to fight the spread of COVID-19, raising fears that the world’s second-most populous nation is on its way to ...
Advocacy group says TikTok violated FTC consent decree and children’s privacy rules
A group of privacy advocacy organisations is filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging that the popular app TikTok violated a consent decree and a law protectin...
China’s Tencent wins on lockdown gaming boom
High demand for video games during coronavirus lockdowns buoyed Tencent Holdings’ first-quarter revenue and profits, with blockbuster games PlayerUnknown’s Battleground...
WHO readies coronavirus app for checking symptoms, possibly contact tracing
The World Health Organisation (WHO) plans to launch a smartphone app this month to enable people in under-resourced countries to assess whether they may have the novel coronavirus,...